High Priority Water Main Projects

CJS assisted OWASA with a multi-year water main replacement program across 10 high-profile project areas in Chapel Hill, NC, providing planning through construction services for 30,000 LF of 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch asbestos cement water main replacements. Settings included residential neighborhoods, busy UNC campus thoroughfares, and major NCDOT roadways. One critical segment ran through active campus areas, including UNC dorms, admissions facilities, the Dean Smith Center, Paul Green Theater, and a main feeder to UNC Hospital. CJS was initially tasked with reviewing the overall program and engaged contractors, stakeholders, and approval entities in detailed discussions to develop grouping and scheduling for the 10 areas. We also assessed water main rehabilitation methods and evaluated their suitability for the OWASA system. Mains were designed and replaced in phases based on preliminary assessments and program requirements. To optimize the bidding process and provide more opportunities for qualified contractors, our strategic approach combined multiple areas into a single bid package and staggered the bid schedules.